Maui firefighters will continue searching ocean for missing body

Maui firefighters plan to search for a third day on Thursday for the body of a 20-year-old man who fell into the ocean while hiking Puka Maui Trail in East Maui.

A large swell that hampered search efforts on Tuesday decreased on Wednesday, but another giant swell is expected on Thursday.

Maui Fire Department spokesman Edward Taomoto said a fire helicopter will assess the ocean conditions in the morning to determine whether divers can enter the water and rescue watercraft can be deployed. He said firefighters were expecting a northwest swell to build to warning levels again Thursday and into Friday.

About 11 a.m. Tuesday, the Maui visitor was hiking with three friends along Puka Maui Trail, near the 7-mile marker on Hana Highway, when he fell about 20 feet into the ocean or a blowhole near the water’s edge, Taomoto said.

The man’s friends saw him climbing a steep rocky cliff when he lost his footing and plunged into the ocean, Taomoto said.

His friends called for help and firefighters began searching by land, sea and air, but large surf and stream runoff hampered their search and prevented divers from entering the water.

Taomoto said the 20- to 25-foot surf on Tuesday forced a fire rescue boat and two lifeguard watercraft to stay at least 400 yards from shore.

Firefighters in a helicopter briefly saw the man’s body wash up on the rocks Tuesday afternoon before another swell pulled it back into the water. Crews have not seen the body again.

On Wednesday, the large swell diminished to about 6 to 8 feet, allowing divers to search underwater near an underwater lava tube where the victim’s body was seen washing up on the rocks.

Besides the divers and fire helicopter, two rescue watercraft also assisted in Wednesday’s search.